Goodbye SW racetrack, hello Auburn Motorsport Park

FORT WAYNE, Ind (WANE) — When businessmen Bill Bean, Tom Kelley and Chuck Surack scrapped their plans for a racetrack in southwest Allen County, they wanted to be good neighbors to nearby residents who worried about developing the quiet farm fields near Hamilton and Branstrator roads.

Apparently, good things come to those who wait.

Wednesday they announced plans for the Auburn Motorsports Park, located on the grounds of the old Kruse Auction Park, near I-69 and DeKalb County Road 11-A, land already zoned for an automobile road course.

“We want to build a world-class facility that will draw people from around the world to come to Auburn, Indiana,” Kelley told WANE 15, calling the site and project “a perfect marriage.”

For decades, the land served thousands of car collectors and aficionados with the annual Labor Day week auction of rare and collectable automobiles, in conjunction with the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival.

“A motorsport park in Auburn just goes along with the culture and the 100-year love affair with automobiles,” Surack said.

The early feedback has been positive from the site’s few neighbors.

The park’s road course would be designed as an FIA level two track, meaning Formula One safety standards and runoff areas, lacking only the media center and medical center found at an F1 course.

Kelley was quick to point out that the park, which would include a go-kart track, would cater to drivers of all income levels, with some $20 admission days and free events for the Boys and Girls Clubs.

Market research showed the trio that Auburn is in a sweet spot to attract a multitude of motorsports enthusiasts within a three hour drive, the key to a successful operation.

“There’s a reason people pay to play Pebble Beach, right?” said Kelley. “In the racetrack work, we eventually want to be known like Pebble Beach.”

Surack said they hoped to use some of the buildings already at the Auction Park, but were early in the design process.

Auburn officials were also excited.

“As the Home of the Classics, Auburn is the perfect place for a project like this,” said Mayor David Clark.

“This project represents exactly the kind of forward-looking investment our community has been preparing for,” said Natalie DeWitt, President of the Auburn Common Council.

Both Surack and Kelley thought the area around the park could attract housing, a hotel, dining and more.

“Other companies will want to be there,” said Kelley.

The purchase of the land from Ambassador Enterprises has not closed yet.

Construction on the project could be complete by summer of 2028.